The Ribald Tales Of Canterbury 1985 Classic Best Official
"The Ribald Tales of Canterbury (1985) reimagines medieval lust and satire through a late‑20th‑century lens, blending farce, eroticism, and social parody. Framed as an anthology of interwoven stories, the film both lampoons and revels in the hypocrisies of its characters, offering viewers a pointed—if bawdy—reflection on desire, class, and morality."
To call The Ribald Tales of Canterbury the "best" is to acknowledge that it represents the peak of a lost art form. It is the culmination of the " Porno Chic" movement.
It respects the viewer's intelligence while delivering on the promise of its title—these tales are undeniably ribald. It is a film you can watch with a bottle of wine, enjoying the humor and the history, without constantly checking your watch.
Final Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
If you are a student of cinema history, or just someone who misses when movies had a soul, track down The Ribald Tales of Canterbury. It is a reminder that adult entertainment once had standards higher than the ceiling.
Where to watch: Seek out remastered versions from reputable classic labels to see this film in the quality it deserves.
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The Ribald Tales of Canterbury (1985) is an adult-oriented comedy and a very loose adaptation of Geoffrey Chaucer’s classic The Canterbury Tales.
Directed by Bud Lee and starring Hyapatia Lee, the film centers on a group of noblemen and women traveling through the 15th-century English countryside to Canterbury. To pass the time, the hostess (Hyapatia Lee) proposes a wager: each traveler puts in 20 pence, and the person who tells the best erotic story wins the entire pot. The Core Stories
The film presents several bawdy tales through flashbacks as the pilgrims share their stories:
The Knight's Tale: A handsome knight (Mike Horner) recalls escorting an abbot on a journey to see the Pope, only to discover the abbot is actually a beautiful woman in disguise.
The Miller's Story: A cheating miller tries to trick two young students, but the plan backfires when his own wife and daughter decide to have a tryst with the students instead.
Other Tales: Additional segments feature diverse scenarios, including a lord and his lady-in-waiting, and a story involving magical golden rings. Production & Legacy The Ribald Tales of Canterbury, 1985 - Кинопоиск the ribald tales of canterbury 1985 classic best
The Ribald Tales of Canterbury (1985) is a cult-classic adult adaptation of Geoffrey Chaucer’s literary masterpiece. Often cited as one of the last "big budget" features of the 35mm film era before the industry shifted to video, it is celebrated for its surprisingly high production values and playful spirit. Film Overview (his directorial debut). Writer & Star: Hyapatia Lee , who adapted the screenplay from Chaucer’s stories.
Following the framework of the original literature, a group of noble travelers en route to Canterbury pass the time by competing to tell the most erotic and bawdy tales.
Features legendary names from the "Golden Age" of adult cinema, including Mike Horner Peter North Colleen Brennan Key Highlights
Ribald Tales of Canterbury Tasty [DVD] is a collection of two 1985 X-rated films directed by Bud Lee. Hyapatia Lee
While the phrase "the ribald tales of Canterbury" often evokes Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th-century literary masterpiece, for fans of 1980s cult cinema and late-night television, it specifically points to a unique era of adult-oriented comedy.
If you are searching for the 1985 classic "best" version of these stories, you are likely looking for the Italian-produced anthology film "The Ribald Tales of Canterbury" (originally titled I racconti di Canterbury n. 2 or similar variations depending on the regional release).
Here is a deep dive into why this 1985 release remains a point of fascination for fans of vintage erotica and classic literature adaptations. The 1985 Context: A Subgenre of Its Own
By 1985, the "Decamerotic" genre—ribald comedies inspired by the works of Boccaccio and Chaucer—was reaching its sunset years. This genre, which exploded in the early 1970s following Pier Paolo Pasolini’s critically acclaimed Trilogia della vita (The Trilogy of Life), sought to blend historical settings with slapstick humor and overt sensuality.
The 1985 release of The Ribald Tales of Canterbury represents one of the final, polished efforts to capture that lightning in a bottle. Unlike the gritty, poetic realism of Pasolini, the '85 "best" versions focused on high-energy farce, colorful costumes, and the "naughty" spirit of the Middle Ages. Why It’s Considered a "Classic"
For many, the appeal of the 1985 film lies in its nostalgic value. It was a staple of the early VHS era and late-night cable rotations.
Faithful "Spirit" if not "Text": While it takes massive liberties with Chaucer’s Middle English prose, it perfectly captures the spirit of tales like The Miller’s Tale or The Reeve’s Tale. It leans into the themes of cuckolded husbands, clever students, and the subversion of social hierarchies.
Visual Aesthetic: The mid-80s production value offered a certain vibrance. The cinematography often utilized lush European locations that felt more authentic than a Hollywood soundstage, giving the "ribaldry" a grounded, historical texture. "The Ribald Tales of Canterbury (1985) reimagines medieval
The Humorous Lean: Unlike modern adult content, these 1985 classics relied heavily on situational comedy. The "best" scenes involve elaborate pranks, mistaken identities, and the classic "man under the bed" tropes that have defined farce for centuries. The Anatomy of the Ribald Tales
The film typically breaks down into several vignettes, mirroring the structure of the original pilgrimage to Canterbury. Key elements include:
The Bawdy Humor: True to the term "ribald," the film doesn't shy away from the earthy, often crude humor that Chaucer used to satirize the church and the merchant class.
The Soundtrack: Often featuring upbeat, folk-inspired synth scores typical of the 80s, the music adds a layer of campy fun to the proceedings.
Cultural Satire: Beneath the surface-level antics, the 1985 version maintains the classic theme of the "common man" outsmarting the "elite," a timeless trope that resonates in any decade. Finding the Best Version
Because many of these films were released under various titles (such as Canterbury Tales Part 2 or Tales of Canterbury), collectors often look for the 1985 remaster or specific European cuts that preserve the original cinematography.
In the digital age, these films have undergone a revival among cinephiles who appreciate the intersection of 14th-century storytelling and 20th-century exploitation cinema. They represent a time when "adult" cinema was more focused on narrative playfulness and historical fantasy than clinical precision. Final Verdict
The 1985 classic The Ribald Tales of Canterbury is a fascinating relic. It sits at the crossroads of literary adaptation and cult comedy. For those looking to revisit the "best" of the era, it offers a colorful, loud, and unapologetically lewd journey through an imagined medieval England—one where the wine is always flowing and no one's secret is safe for long.
The 1980s was a decade of cinematic experimentation, where filmmakers often blurred the lines between high-brow literature and low-brow entertainment. Standing prominently at this intersection is the 1985 cult classic, "The Ribald Tales of Canterbury." While Geoffrey Chaucer’s original 14th-century text is a staple of English literature, this mid-80s adaptation took the "ribald" descriptor and ran with it, creating a vibrant, cheeky, and unapologetically bawdy experience that remains a point of fascination for fans of vintage European-style sex comedies. A Modern Twist on Middle English
Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales has always been famous for its "Fabliaux"—short, metrical tales characterized by vivid detail, lewd humor, and a focus on the lower classes. The 1985 film leans heavily into this tradition. Rather than a dry, academic retelling, "The Ribald Tales of Canterbury" focuses on the earthier aspects of the pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket.
The film captures the essence of the Miller, the Reeve, and the Wife of Bath, transforming their stories into a series of vignettes that celebrate human folly and physical desire. It echoes the spirit of Pier Paolo Pasolini’s earlier 1972 adaptation but replaces the gritty realism with a polished, 80s aesthetic and a more comedic, light-hearted tone. Why it Earned "Classic" Status
In the realm of cult cinema, "classic" status is often determined by a film's longevity and its ability to capture a specific "vibe." This 1985 production succeeds because it doesn't take itself too seriously. It serves as a time capsule for 1980s costume drama production—relying on practical sets, exaggerated acting, and a script that relishes in double entendres. Key reasons for its enduring popularity include: Where to watch: Seek out remastered versions from
The Ensemble Cast: Like the pilgrims themselves, the cast is a mix of character actors who bring a theatrical energy to the screen, making the slapstick humor land with genuine charm.
The Visual Style: Despite its ribald nature, the film features surprisingly lush cinematography and costume design, evoking a "storybook" version of medieval England.
Humor over Heat: While the film is definitely aimed at an adult audience, it prioritizes the comedic "prank" nature of the stories—such as the infamous "misdirected kiss" in the Miller's Tale—over pure provocation. The Best of the Anthologies
What makes the 1985 version stand out as one of the "best" adaptations is its pacing. Anthologies can often feel disjointed, but here, the framing device of the pilgrims traveling together provides a cohesive thread. The transition between the tales is seamless, held together by a soundtrack that blends medieval motifs with 80s synth sensibilities.
It manages to strip away the intimidating layer of Middle English prose, making the core themes—infidelity, greed, and the battle of the sexes—accessible and hilariously relatable. Legacy and Modern Viewing
Today, "The Ribald Tales of Canterbury" (1985) is a favorite for those who enjoy the "Commedia all'italiana" style of filmmaking. It represents a time when cinema was unafraid to be playful with the classics. For viewers looking for a mix of historical satire and bawdy humor, it remains a quintessential example of the genre.
Whether you are a literature student looking for a "naughty" break from the text or a fan of 80s cult cinema, this film offers a spirited romp through the mud and gold of the Middle Ages.
It seems you're referring to The Ribald Tales of Canterbury (1985), the adult-oriented animated film by producer/director Ralph E. Portillo (often credited as “R. Portillo”), which reimagines Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales as a bawdy, X-rated cartoon.
Here is a review of that film, framed as a “classic best” for its niche:
Most adult films of the early 80s relied on wafer-thin plots involving pizza delivery men or stranded coeds. The Ribald Tales of Canterbury dared to do something different: it stole from the classics. Directed by the legendary Bud Lee (under his frequent alias, "R. B. Lee"), the film takes Chaucer’s 14th-century framing device—a group of pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Thomas Becket—and turns the bawdy humor up to eleven.
Unlike the stuffy, academic version you dreaded in high school English class, this 1985 adaptation understands the source material's core soul: that medieval society was just as horny, conniving, and hilarious as modern society. The film retains the "story-within-a-story" structure, but each tale is an excuse for elaborate, comedic set-pieces that blend slapstick with eroticism.
Opening – The Tabard Inn, Southwark
A raucous group of pilgrims—including a lusty Miller, a boisterous Wife of Bath, a corrupt Pardoner, a lecherous Friar, a naive Squire, and a cynical Reeve—gather in heavy rain. The innkeeper, Harry Bailly, proposes a storytelling contest: the best tale (i.e., the most arousing) wins a free dinner. Each “tale” is an extended erotic vignette.
The Tales (Order may vary by cut):
Climax – The Journey Resumed
The pilgrims, aroused by the stories, pair off along the road. The film ends with a large orgy scene at a roadside grove, framed as the “Parson’s Tale” (though the Parson refuses to participate, in keeping with Chaucer’s virtuous character). Harry Bailly declares the Wife of Bath the winner.